Alex Drake not Jane Austen
by bambarella
Summary: I'm not spoiling it. But the Title gives a hint. T for now. & Galex. Obviously.
1. Chapter 1

Alex Drake was still recovering from the shock that Arthur Layton had given her earlier that day. He had taken her child. Her Molly. She hugged her daughter tightly, never wanting to let go once the bastard had released her. You see, they had a special bond; not just a mother and a daughter. They shared everything together. Alex would have gone insane by now if Molly wasn't in her life. Failed marriage; check. Failed motherhood; no way.

"Molls, Evan is right over there - he's taking you home tonight. I'll be on my way soon, I just have to finish up some reports." Alex sighed as she kissed her daughter's cheek then smiled at her as she pulled away.

"Oh mum, please be home soon! It's my birthday; you have to watch me blow out the candles!" Molly pouted as she took hold of her mother's hand, tugging on it gently.

Alex sighed softly. "Molly Drake, I mean what I said. Now please, I really have to go," she said again, then smiled almost in relief as she watched Evan White walking up to them.

"Hey Alex." He greeted her with a small smile, then greeted Molly as he wrapped a protective arm around her, causing her to giggle.

"Right, I'm off. I'll be home soon, I promise," Alex said again reassuringly as she started to head to her car, waving at her daughter and at her godfather.

Being a police officer wasn't easy for someone like her. She was a single mother - no one to protect her back. She was the only one to do the protecting job. Oh, and Evan. She almost forgot about him; she did at times. Sure, he was always there to help them with whatever they went through but at times he felt like a stranger to her. Alex decided to push back her thoughts as she started driving to head back to the station.

A gun clicked. "Stop. Now."

Alex's eyes shot up to look at the mirror, showing her who was sitting at the backseat of the car. She tried to stay calm and without a single word she pulled over. She held her breath for a while as she waited.

"Get out." And she did. She couldn't believe herself; how weak she was acting to all this.

Arthur Layton led her to some sort of dark alley. She stood before him with her hands up in the air.

"Please…whatever it is, I'm sure we will work this out…" She started calmly trying to work with her psychological tactics.

"You're staring at me…I hate it…stop staring at me!" He hissed as he kept pointing the gun at her.

"Alright, if that's what you want, I won't." She simply replied, looking away. "Arthur, you don't have to do th-"

But it was too late. He pulled the trigger and Alex Drake fell to the pavement.

"What the-?" Alex Drake started as her eyes shot open, blinking feverishly as she looked at her surroundings, barely knowing what had hit her. She tried to get up but she was wearing...

"A huge dress?" she asked herself as she looked at her clothing. "Oh my god…this is a joke…"

She gasped as she looked around. It was London still, wasn't it? But different. Oh, very different indeed. And her clothing? Also very different indeed. Tight lacing, corset? Oh, gosh. It made her chest feel exposed; not forgetting the very large skirt that accompanied it. She brought one of her hands up to touch her hair. It was curly but had some sort of up style.

"Oi, there! You shouldn't be out at this hour!" She heard someone almost yell at her. With a confused look on her face, Alex turned her head around towards where she heard the voice. "Go back to your ma," the old lady said as she walked closer to her.

"Come on, where do you live? Tell me now so I can take you," the woman ordered impatiently as she grabbed Alex's arm and dragged her with her.

"What year is this?" Alex whispered weakly, feeling somewhat dizzy as she walked.

"What are yer talkin' about, love?" the woman exclaimed. "It's 1817 of course! Where have you been? What have you been doing?"

And with that, Alex Drake collapsed again on the pavement.


	2. Chapter 2

"Who is she?"

"Where does she come from? She looks different, doesn't she?"

Alex let out a low, soft groan as she began to wake up again. She opened her eyes slowly to find herself lying on an extravagant sofa, surrounded by a crowd of people; they were all whispering to each other.

"She's awake!" someone yelled.

'_Oh my gosh,'_ she thought. _'Not again!'_

The old lady appeared before her, both hands resting on her hips as she spoke to her once more. "Who are your parents, love? They must be worried!"

Alex struggled to sit up but managed after a while. "My parents are dead," she replied dazedly. Well, these people made her feel this way. Her parents? Really? They'd been dead since 1981 and she was now in 1817. They didn't even exist! _'Imagine telling this lot that,'_ she thought. _'They'd probably all die from a heart attack.'_

Alex remembered reading about the Victorian era in England. She loved how the women dressed, the manners...and the men too. She wanted to burst out laughing at all of the thoughts that raced through her mind.

"Dead? My dear, poor child," one of the women cried as she covered her mouth with her hand to Alex's shocking reply.

"Right. You lot, get out. She'll be fine here. She'll sleep here for the night and tomorrow we'll decide what to do with her," the old lady said, shooing the visitors away.

'_Decide what to do with her?' _Alex frowned._ 'Seriously? What am I? An animal now?'_ She wanted to voice her thoughts but she stayed silent as she watched everyone walk out the door. Her gaze fell upon the old lady again.

"Thank you for letting me stay here for the night. I won't be a bother; I intend to leave first thing in the morning. _I have to get back home._" Alex smiled to hide her gritted teeth at the last bit.

"That's nonsense, child! You obviously have nowhere to go. You're staying here with me. Not on the streets - I will not allow it! I know that you've been around the streets," the old lady said again as her eyes scanned over Alex from head to toe, looking almost disgusted with her.

Alex took a glance at herself and realized that the old lady was right. Her dress was dirty, and the hem of her skirt seemed to be ripped a little bit. She bit her lip and tried to think how she came to this place, this era, or whatever it was. Arthur Layton! She wanted to scream as she remembered but she couldn't. Her head was throbbing with pain and she winced, holding her head in her hands.

"Oh dear!" The lady hurried to her and laid her gently back onto the sofa. She didn't realize how comfortable the sofa was till now. She closed her eyes, trying to make the pain go away.

"Rest. Go on, sleep. You'll feel better in the morning, my dear," the old lady said again, only this time her voice was soft and concerned. Alex didn't need to be told to sleep as quickly she dozed off.

* * *

Alex awoke to find that the old lady had laid down new clothes, fetched her some hot water to clean herself up and had made breakfast. This lady lived in style considering the time. Alex stayed silent at the breakfast table, taking in the beauty of the house – it was like a palace. It looked that way to her. Long corridors that could go on forever, paintings and sculptures as she walked by and...it was very clean. The house was perfectly clean. Had she happened to run into some royalty member? Who was this woman? Alex started to question herself.

"How are you feeling, my dear?" The old lady asked in a sweet tone, which seemed odd, considering the events that had happened the night before.

Alex simply nodded and remained silent as the lady attempted to grasp her attention, trying to get her talking once more. The lady said, "You know, I live alone in this house, if you're wondering. You seem like a lovely girl who has been through a lot, and I'm pretty sure that this place will be perfect for you to call it home for now."

"I-I don't know…" Alex started. _'My little girl, Molly. Where are you?'_ she asked herself, hoping somehow her conscience would give her an answer.

"I know, my dear. I'm terribly sorry for the way I treated you last night - it was uncalled for but I didn't know what happened to you." She reached out a hand to cover Alex's and gave it a little squeeze. "You can become my maid. You can assist me to wherever I go and whatever I do." A small smile appeared on the lady's face. The offer was tempting and she literally had no other choice but to agree; which Alex did.


End file.
